'Hitler's Pope' Secretly Aided the Jews: New Book

Pope Pius XII 'oversaw a clandestine operation'

(Newser)
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A new book is aiming to give "Hitler's Pope" a better place in history, the Guardian reports. Due out next month, The Pope's Jews paints Pius XII as a man who quietly aided Jews during World War II with safe houses and fake documents. According to the book, he oversaw a secret operation that aided thousands of Jews with false baptism certificates and Vatican papers identifying them as Catholics. He also approved a fund for medicine, clothing, and food, while monasteries and convents across Italy sheltered more than 4,000 Jews.

Critics have long condemned Pius XII for his failure to publicly condemn the Holocaust, but he was considered a Jewish savior at the end of the war. Jerusalem's chief rabbi even said in 1944 that Israel will remember what he was "doing for our unfortunate brothers and sisters at the most tragic hour." But Soviet criticism, a German play, and a popular book called Hitler's Pope tarnished his image. Now, relying on fresh sources and previously unseen Vatican documents, author Gordon Thomas will throw his book into the ring. Naturally the Vatican is pleased, and is supporting a BBC documentary on the subject.

In this file photo dated Sept. 1945, Pope Pius XII, wearing the ring of St. Peter, raises his right hand in a papal blessing at the Vatican. .
(AP Photo, File)

It is funny how new evidence of this heroic Pope can come to light after all these years. Did someone just stumble onto these documents? However my 2 grandfathers both fought in WW2 - both of these 2 men were what the holy pope would have described as being coloured. I must however voice my disgust at the pope Pius XII because he did not see them fit to enter Rome as per his request to the British High Command not to allow "coloureds troops" to enter Rome. Was this a racist request? Or was he a saint? Apparently he was a saint according to the Catholic Church. It is probably for the same reason that Pope Nicholas V, the pope that supported slavery was made a saint. It seems that human rights do not matter in the church. Pius XII was also very friendly with the Ustashe( Croatian Nazi wannabes).The Independent State Croatia was a Catholic State where the priests and nuns actively partook in the killing of Serbs, Gypsies and Jews. The Archbishop of this Catholic State at this time was Stepinac or should I rather say saint Stepinac. Jasenovac concentration camp; why do so few people know about the horrors that took place there? Please read about this place and break the silence. It seems that the Catholic Church has a "habit" of making saint out of villains. We might even have a pedophile made into a saint one day.

realtruth

Feb 11, 2013 7:41 AM CST

While we hate the pope and wash our own sins away… How many Jews died simply because the USA did not enter the war earlier???

Ivan_the_Gypsy

Feb 10, 2013 8:06 PM CST

It's so easy to rewrite history in your favor 60 years after the actual events. No one is left to prove or disprove your rewrite.

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